


a proposal (and one, and two, and three)

by t_3po



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:07:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22788442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/t_3po/pseuds/t_3po
Summary: "You know he already approached me and offered to do the flower arrangements for our wedding.""Our hypothetical wedding, Jim," Spock corrected."Hypothetical my ass," Jim scoffed. He pressed a kiss below Spock's ear just to hear the slight rumble of pleasure Spock made whenever Jim caressed that specific area. "By the end of the year you'll be wearing a ring on your finger."
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock
Comments: 23
Kudos: 529





	a proposal (and one, and two, and three)

The person who put the idea in Jim's head was Gary Mitchell.

Spock did not know the man personally but Jim mentioned him often whenever he told Spock about his days in the Academy. They had kept in touch, even though they had never once served together on the same ship. Mitchell, after an early retirement from Starfleet, was getting married. To his surprise, Spock was invited as well.

Spock narrowed his eyes at the note on his invitation. "Come to my wedding so I can finally see what Jim's been talking about!!!" it read.

"Did you tell Mr Mitchell about the nature of our relationship?" Spock asked, peering over his computer screen to look at Jim. He was sprawled on his bed with a report on his lap, his reading glasses threatening to slide off his nose. 

"Hmm? Gary? Oh yeah. Why?"

"He sent me an invitation to his wedding."

"What?" 

Jim read the note over Spock’s shoulder. "Bastard," he said but with a cheerful tone that told Spock there was no malice in Jim's wording. Humans were rather strange about their displays of affection. "Welp, guess I have no choice in the matter—you're going with me."

"I'd made the assumption that humans generally bring 'plus ones' to formal events. Did you not originally intend to bring me with you?" 

"Are you jealous I might bring someone else?" 

"No." He was not lying. But in all honesty, Spock had seen enough of Jim with a random woman attached to his arm during Starfleet mandated events. This was before their relationship and before they had made their relationship public. The thought of him arriving to an important event without Spock was fine. The thought of him arriving to an important event with someone other than Spock…was unpleasant. "I was merely curious."

"Right. _Curious_. But yeah I did intend to go alone since this won't be your thing. It will be loud and obnoxious and I'll also be loud and obnoxious for Gary's sake. And you'll probably get drunk—trust me, Gary's parties always get you drunk.

"But," Jim murmured, "I will be able to show you off to old school friends. That's long overdue."

Jim was correct. Spock did not enjoy the event. The ceremony itself was adequate, but somewhat overemotional. More than half the guests had burst into tears as the vows were exchanged. Jim had smiled apologetically at him at that. 

The reception was more bearable after the first three hours of guests dancing to the screeching noise Spock assumed to be music. Jim had disappeared with Mitchell and a group of his old friends. Spock had tolerated staying at Jim’s side for a few minutes but Jim was correct in saying that his friends from the Academy weren’t the kind of people Spock preferred to spend his time with. He excused himself then found a quiet enough space, far away from the dance floor. The people in his area were mostly parents with young children who’d fallen asleep in the middle of the ceremony. An Orion child who couldn’t be more than two years old was sitting at his feet, playing with his shoelaces. The parent was asleep. Spock could not bring himself to wake him.

Jim found him like that. “Since when did we adopt an Orion baby? Spock! You’re keeping secrets from me,” he said in his teasing voice.

Spock carefully extracted his foot from the child and stood up. “The bride and groom?”

“Consummating the marriage,” Jim said, waggling his eyebrows playfully. “I didn’t even manage to cause a scandal by upstaging the bride and asking you to marry me. Like in those movies.”

Spock’s brows furrowed. “Which ones?”

“You know. Chekov’s secret stash of rom coms. It’s even more hidden than the porn on his computer—which you know what, actually makes more sense. Anyway, we can leave now but…”

He trailed off then looked to the dance floor. The loud pop music had changed to a slow song and the dance floor was filled with couples swaying to the music. He turned back to Spock, one eyebrow raised.

It was dimly lit. Spock was the only Vulcan there.

He took Jim’s hand and led him to the dance floor.

* * *

"Are you against it?"

Spock forced himself to pay attention. He was tired, and in Jim's arms, with his head on Jim's chest, he wanted nothing more than to sleep. But the seriousness of Jim's voice kept him from his rest.

"Hmm?"

"Are you against it?"

"Against what?" he asked.

"Marriage."

Spock blinked. "No," he said truthfully. Marriage was an illogical, archaic, overly romanticized practice in human history. To Vulcans there was some logic behind the practice as marriage between two individuals was also a marriage between their tribes, but there was little of the romance humans attached to the arrangement. Spock was not fully against it, but, like his two halves, the idea confused him.

He did not need a ring to know that Jim loved him. He thought about being called Jim's 'husband' and felt a little thrilled at the idea, yet when he thought about the fact that they were already 't'hy'la' the term paled in comparison to that.

Jim nodded. "Will you mind if I keep asking you to marry me?"

He did not mind at all, and Jim smiled at him.

Jim's smile turned sly. "What if I get down on one knee and propose to you during your dad's speech in the Babel conference?"

"Goodnight, Jim."

* * *

It became a joke between them. Spock couldn't pinpoint the exact moment it became a source of amusement, mostly for Jim, but Jim wouldn't stop asking him to marry him. "I'm only speaking hypothetically," Jim argued whenever Spock tried to argue how illogical and inconvenient it was to get married in the middle of the five year mission. The first time Jim asked him in broad daylight, he had thought Jim was actually serious and he’d spent five minutes lecturing him before Jim got fed up and told him he was just teasing Spock.

Spock wasn't lying when he said that he wasn't fully against it. He knew some of the technical benefits of being legally married to Jim but aboard the Enterprise, they already experienced some of those benefits. They did not have joint quarters but Jim's bed was big enough for two and Spock spent most of his nights there. And as for the official Starfleet rules that only spouses were allowed to visit critically ill or critically wounded patients in Sickbay, McCoy had long ago ignored that when it came to Jim and Spock. The crew knew they were involved, and any thought of mutiny against the captain was destroyed by the knowledge that any harm that came to Kirk would be vindicated by his first officer.

But to marry Jim now while they were both serving on Starfleet's flagship would take a toll on both of them. The paperwork involved would stress Jim out, and the unavoidable press would irritate Spock. The chances that Starfleet would allow two of the most well-known members of Starfleet to have a small private undocumented wedding were minimal. His family would want to be present for the wedding as was their right and Spock wouldn't—couldn't—deny them that.

Jim knew all of that. Yet Jim continued to ask. It had become a game for him and after the initial confusion, Spock recognized that Jim saw him once again as a challenge. To an outsider's perspective, it was strange. But to Spock it was...strangely romantic.

Jim loved no-win scenarios and Spock had always been a bit of a challenge for Jim because of Spock's inability to clearly state what he wanted. It had taken him months to coax Spock into forming a tentative friendship with him, even longer to coax him into a romantic relationship, and it took months again after that to coax him into his bed. Convincing Spock to marry him was just another challenge. 

"So basically you're more than okay with getting married to him but you're not saying 'I do' yet because Jim likes challenges, and you encourage his need for that, but mostly you're not saying 'yes' yet because you're a tease and like playing hard to get and this is some kind of weird sexy dance for you two," Gaila said. Spock choked on his drink. The last time they'd seen each other was at the memorial service for his people. He had not thought of her in years so he had forgotten that she was still one of the few beings in the universe who could catch him off guard.

"I do not play hard to get," Spock argued. He didn't even feign ignorance about what the phrase meant. "I have never—"

"Uh, you kind of do, Spock," Nyota said. "You like doing the whole 'hard to get, look but don't touch' thing. Kirk whined about it for months because you flirted back but wouldn't go on a date with him. In fact, if you get him drunk enough on Saurian brandy, he'll talk about your first date like it was the second coming of Christ."

"Really? I would love to see that!" Gaila exclaimed while Spock said, "Please refrain from getting the captain drunk."

Nyota was the one who'd arranged a reunion with her when she found out that they were doing maintenance repairs in the same Starbase where Gaila was currently stationed. Spock put down his drink—the same sugary concoction Gaila had told him he would like back when they'd formed their strange alliance in the Academy (an alliance built over being the few non-humans who attended the school)—and tried to stare at her imperiously.

"I am not a tease."

"You like doing the whole 'hard to get thing'," Nyota countered. Spock swiveled his gaze at her, eyebrows rising at the betrayal. "I thought it was just a byproduct of Vulcan upbringing but then I went on a few dates with this scientist from the VSA and I hung out with a couple of them when we rendezvoused with the Intrepid and five of them asked me out. In fact, they were rather forward, so I think I can say that it's just you who's like that."

"How do you guys even have sex?" Gaila continued. "Does Jim have to woo you with binary code just so you'll drop your pants?"

Spock thought of their nightly chess games and flushed inwardly.

"Oh my god, he _does_. Wow he's patient with you. Because with me when we hooked up—okay _fine_ I won't mention that." Spock had glared at her. "Anyway, you guys have the nerdiest kinks ever."

"There are multiple reasons why being legally married to Jim during the five year mission is not advisable," Spock argued.

"You can always do it on shore leave," Nyota said.

"Our shore leaves are never regularly scheduled and based on what Jim has been telling me, he wishes for an extravagant celebration with around 500 guests who need to be informed ahead of time when and where the event will take place."

"Well it makes sense. You're Starfleet's poster boys. Everyone will want to be there."

"Aside from the 500 guests, Jim has also expressed his desire for an indoor swimming pool and a chocolate fountain," Spock said flatly, earning another laugh from Gaila.

"A chocolate fountain with gold flakes, which is necessary since the Vulcans will need it once I finish making out with you at our 'hypothetical' wedding," Jim corrected, suddenly appearing at Spock’s side. There was an ugly store-bought bouquet in his arms which he handed to Spock. "For you, my dear."

"This is from your admirer," Spock said. From his peripheral vision he could see a group of young cadets, no older than twenty, talking excitedly as they stared at Jim. One of them waved and the group giggled when Jim waved back.

"Had no idea they even added a gift shop here," Jim said as took a seat beside Spock. There was a smear of lipstick on his cheek, no doubt from one of the students who must have hugged and kissed him before Jim could protest. Spock sighed, ignoring Nyota's knowing look as he wiped it away with a napkin.

"Oh yeah well this base is close to human colonies and there are a lot of civilians visiting," Gaila said. "They sell mostly stupid stuff."

"Yeah these flowers they're selling are hideous," Jim said. "But ha I did find something interesting."

From his pocket he pulled out a small stuffed bear. Jim had once explained to Spock that stuffed animals were a source of comfort to children and even to some adults. Spock could not understand why humans found them so amusing as they looked nothing at all like the animal teddy bears were supposed to be based on.

"For you," Jim said in a grand voice.

The small bear fit in the palm of Spock's hand. It was an ugly little thing with a lopsided smile and a small sign stitched to one hand. On the sign it read: Will You Marry Me?

Spock did not roll his eyes but he raised his eyebrow at Jim whose grin only grew wider. "No."

"Tease," Gaila murmured.

* * *

"I'd carry you," Jim announced mid run. "It's traditional. Well was. But also I just want the excuse to carry you. Imagine the look on the admirals' faces. Oh Nogura will have a heart attack. We're definitely doing that."

"I am three times stronger than you. It would be wiser if it was I who lifted you."

"You're only stronger than me on Earth's gravity. And you could but it wouldn't be as amusing or as impressive to our potential guests," Jim muttered. He lit up. "Also hey I can pick you up easily, remember? On missions, when you're too out of it to go to Sickbay yourself." He grinned mischievously. "That one time in the showers during shore leave. I remember quite clearly you liked _that_."

Dr McCoy who ran past them and overheard the conversation made gagging noises and glared at Jim over his shoulder. Jim laughed.

"I will not allow myself to be carried 'fireman style' to my own wedding, Jim," Spock replied, ignoring the last of Jim's examples.

Jim raised one eyebrow at him. It was an expression he'd picked up from Spock and although it wasn't a perfect replica of his, the sight of it on Jim's face was endearing. "So you're saying you'll marry me now?"

"No. I am merely speaking hypothetically."

Jim snorted. He stopped running then to Spock's surprise headed over to the weights. "I'm joking of course. I don't really have to carry you for our hypothetical wedding but it won't hurt to get stronger so I can hypothetically carry you in a different style if you want it."

What he said made little sense. But then, Spock thought as he watched Jim work out, perhaps he could let this argument slide.

* * *

"One advantage of weddings: the honeymoon."

Spock merely hummed in reply. Jim's hands had found their way inside his robe, his thumbs sliding down his ribs. Jim was still in his dress uniform. This started because of the dress uniform. Jim had been endlessly amused when he’d picked up on Spock’s thoughts (“Admit it. You want to climb me like a tree whenever I’m wearing this.” “I do _not_.”) and had pressed Spock against the wall as soon as he was finished with his shower.

He touched his tongue to Spock's sternum making Spock squirm. "The honeymoon," Jim repeated, his breath warm on Spock's skin. "I get to whisk you away and have my wicked way with you."

"Are you not already about to do that?"

Another wet kiss landed on his skin, on the flat of his stomach, on the sharp jut of his hip. It was maddening. "I want to be extra about it," Jim said. "You, me, a giant bed, a room with a beach view, hours of no interruption, and all the free alcohol we can get because newlyweds always get free alcohol."

“You wish to marry me for free alcohol.”

“Free booze _and_ sex,” Jim corrected. “You’re forgetting the sex.”

“Perhaps because you are taking too long to engage in intercourse with me,” Spock said. Jim snorted.

"Yeah well," Jim said, pulling himself up until he was nose to nose with Spock, much to Spock's disappointment. He unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it over his shoulder. "I want to marry you and have a very nice honeymoon because I'd very much like to fuck you for hours in a room that doesn't have a gaudy mermaid motif."

Spock glanced around the room. The ambassador of Qualar II had a motif for each room in her house, and she had placed her esteemed guests in what she claimed were her best rooms. Spock plucked one pale blue pillow from the enormous pile beneath him. There were pearls sewn on the cover and it left glitters on the pads of his fingers when he set it down. It was tasteless. Jim said it looked a lot like Joanna’s room. But then, he and Jim had managed in worse areas.

"It's a wonder I can even get it up," Jim mock-sighed. He pushed the rest of the extra pillows to the floor then pulled Spock’s legs around his waist. "Can't believe my dick is even hard in this Little Mermaid wannabe bedroom."

"You are always aroused. How is this a surprise to you?" Spock said.

"How are _you_ surprised you always manage to get my dick hard? Even in this ugly room? You’re _you_.”

“That makes no sense.”

“It does,” Jim insisted. He leaned down to kiss him. Spock hummed and wrapped his arms around Jim's shoulders.

"Now prepare to get wrecked on this ugly bed."

* * *

"Hmmm, marry me."

"According to my sources it's in appropriate to propose after sexual intercourse," Spock replied. He finally brought his legs down, ignoring his partner's hiss as Jim slid from within his body. He stretched his limbs, feeling the soreness that would worsen in the morning. He would have to meditate to get rid of the ache in his muscles, but Jim who was already gathering him in his arms, did not seem keen to let him go just yet.

"Sources, huh? May I know who told you that?"

Spock hummed and kissed the shelf of Jim's jaw. "Sulu."

"Hopeless romantic, that one," Jim murmured. "You know he already approached me and offered to do the flower arrangements for our wedding."

"Our hypothetical wedding, Jim," Spock corrected.

"Hypothetical my ass," Jim scoffed. He pressed a kiss below Spock's ear just to hear the slight rumble of pleasure Spock made whenever Jim caressed that specific area. "By the end of the year you'll be wearing a ring on your finger."

* * *

Spock was not the first person Jim ever proposed to. He wouldn't have found out if McCoy had not joked about it during the bridge crew's nightly poker games. McCoy, drunk, had told Spock about how Jim had proposed to an old girlfriend and had been soundly rejected. 

Her name was Ruth and she was the only person prior to Spock who had been in a serious relationship with Jim. "I was messed up and I wanted some stability in my life and Ruth was there and I thought maybe if I proposed she'd share some of that stability," Jim explained when Spock asked about her. "But I was a complete mess and she wasn't willing to fix me and looking back now I'm glad she broke up with me. It would have hurt us both if we'd stayed together. And I wouldn't have joined Starfleet and met you."

He was on New Vulcan, by special request of the Vulcan Council, when Spock found himself searching her name in his personal PADD. It had been a week since McCoy brought it up yet Spock couldn't feed his curiosity when Jim was so close. It felt like an invasion of his privacy, and even now as he stood underneath Selek's statue, thousands of miles away from Jim, he typed in the name quickly and as discreetly as possible. 

She was lovely, golden-haired with a picture perfect smile. Spock read that she was a reporter based in New York. In most of her pictures, she was accompanied by a tall man and a child who had her hair.

Once again, Spock wondered at the sudden change in Jim's tastes. How and why he changed from chasing after lovely blond women to attaching himself to Spock was still a mystery to him. Yet when he pictured Jim in Ruth's husband's place, he could not imagine Jim ever being comfortable being a married man with children. He had never mentioned marriage at all before he started dating Spock, and before Mitchell’s wedding, Spock was positive it had never crossed his mind.

And yet…he wanted to marry Spock.

His PADD buzzed. It was an incoming video call from Jim. He pushed all thoughts of Ruth aside as he swiped to answer. 

Jim beamed at him and Spock couldn't help but smile back. 

"Hey, sweetheart," Jim greeted. "How are things going there?"

"Quite well," Spock said. "They are breeding valit now and are working on domesticating them."

"Those cute little hamster things? Sweet. Better than tribbles. Maybe we can get one for you."

Jim had never seen valit. He had never seen any creature from Vulcan. His first and last glimpse of Vulcan had been when they were falling, just blurs of red and oranges and heat, yet he talked about anything from Spock's culture with enthusiasm, because he knew it was important to Spock. 

"I," he started, once again feeling overwhelmed by his love for Jim. It was illogical. He had been away for only a week yet he wished to be by Jim's side already.

"Oh." Jim's voice softened. "I miss you too, baby."

"I am not an infant," Spock said just to hear Jim laugh. 

"I know but I'm human and illogical and you're so cute." He put his hand under his chin and just looked at Spock sweetly.

"Hey,” Jim whispered after a short while.

"Yes?"

Jim grinned at him. "I love you."

Spock's eyes darted to the right. Sarek had appeared. There was no chance he hadn't heard Jim, but he was pointedly looking away, giving them their privacy. Spock brought the PADD closer to his face.

"I love you as well," he whispered. 

"Sarek there with you?" Jim's smile grew bigger when he nodded. "Love you. Can't wait to kiss you," he said in a louder voice.

Sarek walked away. Spock glared at Jim who was laughing. "Desist."

* * *

Being in Sickbay for a long period of time always brought out the worst in Jim. Spock knew why, of course. Jim didn’t like to stay still, and since Khan, since having been literally brought back from the dead, anything longer than staying three hours in Sickbay drove him mad. He had lashed out at both Spock and McCoy earlier. McCoy, used to his patients’ outbursts, had merely shrugged it off but Spock had escaped back to the bridge. He sat in Jim’s chair and tried to sort out his emotions—angry, upset, relieved that Jim was alive, upset again. He clenched and unclenched his hands during the whole shift, hoping no one would notice his restlessness.

Nyota was at his side the moment it was over.

“How’s Kirk?” she asked.

“He’ll be confined to Sickbay for two weeks,” Spock said.

A cave had collapsed in on itself at their last mission, trapping Spock, Jim, and a few ensigns inside it for five hours. Spock had gotten out of it mostly unscathed but Jim’s right leg was shattered so badly even McCoy could not immediately fix it. It was lucky that it could be saved at all. It was lucky that Jim hadn’t died.

Spock breathed in shakily. It was illogical. Jim was alive.

He pressed his hands against his eyes. They were wet.

“Spock? It’s okay, Spock,” Nyota said, placing a hand on his arm. Her voice was soft, calming, and slowly, the tension that had been there since he’d seen Jim unconscious and bleeding on the gurney began to dissipate. “He’s okay.”

Jim was poking at his heavily bandaged leg with a stylus when Spock returned five hours later. “Hey.” He was frowning as he peered at Spock’s face. “Is that a cut?”

Spock touched the bruised area on his cheek. “It is of no concern compared to your own injury, Jim,” he said.

Jim snorted. “ _This_ can’t be easily fixed. The one on your face on the other hand only needs to see a dermal regenerator. I don’t know why you didn’t let Bones heal it.”

“It will heal on its own, Jim.”

“Yeah but I’m invested in that face. I’m invested in keeping it scar-free as possible.” His sense of humor hadn’t completely returned yet. Perhaps because Spock was still standing by the door, trying not to show that he was upset at the sight of Jim in that room. It did not matter that he had trained for years not to show emotion. Jim could read him like an open book.

Jim sighed, then patted the empty space at his left. “Come here.”

“Your leg—”

“Will be fine. It’s the right one, anyway. Come here. _Please_.”

Spock carefully sat down. Jim’s arms immediately wound around him, pulling him in until Jim had successfully plastered his front to Spock’s back. He pressed his forehead against Spock’s nape then said, “I’m sorry. For yelling. I didn’t mean it.”

“It is alright, Jim.”

“I’m just…” He trailed off but Spock knew what he was about to say. Sickbay drove Jim mad because he was afraid of how easily it reminded him of his death. Spock understood. It hurt to see Jim here again.

He shifted until he was facing Jim. Spock placed his hands on his face, his fingers skimming his meld points. Jim took one of his hands and kissed the center of his palm. _I love you_. His thoughts bled into Spock’s skin, even through his shields. That one always managed to break through.

“I can’t believe I broke my leg,” Jim groaned. “It will take _months_ to heal.”

“You can still be captain with a broken leg.”

“It’s not that.” He smiled at Spock. “I wanted a June wedding and I can’t marry you with a broken leg. But I am glad that Bones didn’t take off my leg, man, how am I going to be traditional and propose to you on one knee if I only have one leg. I mean, I guess I still could kind of do it but it would look bad in the pictures. And cake.”

“Cake?”

“Haven’t decided what cake we’ll be having in our ‘hypothetical’ wedding.”

“I have not agreed to it.”

“True. Will you please, please marry me, S’chn T’gai Spock?”

He was teasing again. He was using the same tone that he used whenever he talked about his plans to marry Spock, the one that told Spock that he didn’t actually have to say yes, that Jim just liked to annoy him, that Jim would still love him even if he never said yes. And yet for some reason, the idea of accepting Jim’s strange proposals, of saying yes to all his over the top plans and ignoring all the stress of the paperwork and dealing with the press and Spock’s clan, the thought of actually getting married to Jim suddenly crossed his mind.

“Jim.”

“Hmm?”

The doors slid open before Spock could say anything else. McCoy walked in, took one look at them, then rolled his eyes.

"Do you guys have to be all lovey-dovey when I'm around?" McCoy complained. "Why am I the only one who ever gets to see Spock all over you, anyway? You're never this disgusting around the others."

Spock made a move to stand up but Jim tightened his arms around his waist. "It's the privilege of being our friend, Bones," Jim pointed out. "Don't you feel honored?"

"I feel like I'm in one of Joanna's Disney movies whenever you two get like this," Bones answered. "All those annoying couples with the singing birds and rats."

"Maybe I wanna win Most Annoying Couple in Starfleet at the year-end party."

"That award does not exist," Spock said.

"Maybe it should." Jim pressed a kiss on the top of his spine. "We'd win for sure."

"You are the only annoying one in this relationship.”

“Hey!”

* * *

Jim’s leg had mostly healed by the time Starfleet called all the captains and their first officers for the annual meeting. He still limped however and had taken to walking around with a cane because he refused to be confined to a wheelchair again. McCoy had brought his old wheelchair out and Jim had paled at the sight of it. “I don’t want the reminder,” he’d said.

He was still on pain killers which made him woozier and even more impulsive than he usually was. Spock kept an eye on him the entire meeting, resting his hand on Jim’s knee and squeezing whenever Jim looked ready to kill. He didn’t get along with a lot of the older captains and some of the even older admirals. Spock long suspected that if Jim wasn’t actually a very skilled captain and a favorite of the public, Starfleet would have kicked him out long ago for insubordination.

Number One approached Spock as soon as the meeting was over. Spock quickly schooled his features into the impassive mask Una had praised him for when he’d served with her. That was years back, when Spock was still an ensign and Pike was still alive. She was a captain now and had her own crew and Spock was already the first officer of Starfleet’s flagship, yet she would always be his superior.

“What happened to him?” Una asked as soon as she saw Jim angrily hobbling after Komack. He looked five seconds away from using the cane to smack Komack on the head. Spock knew he ought to follow them, but he had not seen Number One in years, so he left Jim alone and hoped that he wouldn’t cause a scandal.

“An injury sustained from a mission three months ago,” Spock answered.

“Ah.” She looked at Jim approvingly. “Kid’s really grown. Pike would be proud.”

“Indeed.”

She eyed him curiously. He could never fully reign in the affection in his voice whenever he talked about Jim and though it no longer embarrassed him the way it did when everything with Jim was new and frightening and _exhilarating_ , Number One was still the person who’d taught Spock to be as cool and collected as possible. He looked back at her.

Jim’s angry shout rose over the other captains’ voices. Una clicked her tongue. Underneath her breath, he heard her say, “just like Chris.” But there was a note of affection in her voice, too.

“Go make sure he doesn’t cause a commotion,” she told him and though Spock was no longer under her command, he was quick to follow.

She had never told him, and it was not public knowledge, but Spock knew that a long time ago, Number One and Pike had been in love in the same deep, gut-wrenching manner in which he loved Jim.

He wondered, vaguely, if she regretted not marrying him when she still had the chance.

* * *

“Spock?”

Spock’s hand hovered over the bishop he’d been about to move. “Yes?”

“You know, you can always tell me if I’m getting too annoying with all the proposals and stuff.”

Spock blinked. “It does not annoy me, Jim.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes.”

“Right.” Jim was beaming again. “Good. That’s good.”

Spock leaned over the chessboard and kissed him. He moved his piece.

“Checkmate.”

* * *

When the Enterprise made a stop at New Vulcan to deliver supplies, Spock knew that this time, Jim's proposal would carry more weight. He would be serious this time now that he could directly talk to the remaining members of Spock's family about his intentions.

It was horribly cliché.

Jim led him to the greenhouse Spock had asked to be set up in his mother's memory, with the pretense of wanting to see if the orchids they'd ordered for it were thriving. It was a small and private space Spock was quite fond of, perfect for Jim's plans. When Spock turned around, he was unsurprised to see Jim on one knee with a velvet box in his hand, looking nervous, as if he hadn't voiced his intentions months before.

"I accept."

Jim spluttered. "I haven't even asked yet!"

"You've asked thirty-three times already," Spock pointed out. "My reply is long overdue."

Jim pouted and stood up. "You ruined my rom com moment. Now we can never have a dumb movie made about us," he said but there was no real anger in his voice and he was beaming as he pulled Spock in his arms. They stood there with their foreheads pressed together, Spock’s arms around Jim’s shoulders, Jim’s hands on his hips. He fancied, quite illogically, of freezing this moment, of living in this moment forever with Jim smiling at him like he was the only good thing in his world. But a minute later, Jim pulled away.

"I didn't get you an engagement ring by the way,” he said. “You'll think it's illogical to wear an engagement ring and a wedding ring so you'll only get the wedding ring when I carry you down the aisle like a caveman."

"I do not see the point in wearing rings. And you are not carrying me."

"And you didn't see the point in weddings either but look at you, you're my fiancé now.” There was a note of wonder in his voice when he said fiancé. “Also ha! I'll win the carrying argument, just wait and see," Jim said. He opened the box and Spock's eyes widened in recognition at what was inside.

It was a dilithium crystal hanging from a thin silver chain. Jim carefully took it out of the box. "It's a real piece of her,” he said with pride. “I had Scotty help me with it." Jim said “When we had that maintenance. Remember? When we saw Gaila again."

Spock startled. "That was long ago."

"What? Did you actually think I was just joking when I told you all those plans." Jim snorted. He placed the necklace around Spock, and made a pleased noise at the sight of it against Spock's chest. Spock touched the small crystal with reverence. "Some of those plans are definitely going to be pushed through. Demora as the flower girl, you in your Vulcan robes so I can have fun tearing them off you during our honeymoon, Bones as our best man and he's required to say a disgustingly sappy speech.

“All those dumb plans and I didn’t even know if you were actually going to say yes. I mean, even if you never agreed to this, or even if you just want something quiet even though we both know that’s impossible at this rate, it still wouldn’t change anything between us—but at Gary’s wedding I just—I just looked at them and thought—I wanted to be the one standing there with you. I couldn’t get it out of my mind.”

Spock did not know what to say. So he gave in to his emotions and wrapped his arms around Jim’s shoulders and kissed him and kissed him and kissed him, doing his best to pour in everything he was feeling through the kiss.

_I love you. I love you. I love you._

Jim stroked his cheek. His eyes were bright.

“I know.”


End file.
